God’s Mysterious Plan Allows Injustice to Exist in the World

16 I saw something else under the sun: instead of justice there was evil; instead of righteousness there was wickedness. 17 So I said ⌊to myself⌋,j “God will surely judge the righteous and the wicked, for he has appointedk a time of judgment for every deed and every work.”

18 I said to myself concerning ⌊humans⌋,l “God siftsm them in order to shown them that they are like beasts.” 19 For the fate of ⌊humans⌋o and the fate of the beast is ⌊the same⌋.p The death of the one is like the death of the other, for ⌊both are mortal⌋.q Man has no advantage over the beast, for both are fleeting. 20 Both go to one place—both came from dust and both return to dust. 21 For no one knows whether the spirit of a human ascends to heaven and whether the spirit of the beast descends to the ground!

22 So I concluded that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy the fruit of his labor, for this is his lot in life. ⌊For no one knows what will happen in the future.⌋r

The Existence of Oppression in the World Makes Human Existence Miserable

4 I looked again, and I saw all the oppression that occurs under the sun.

⌊I saw the tears of the oppressed—

no one comforts them!

Those who oppress them are powerful—

no one can comfort them⌋!a

2 So I deemed the dead who have already died

more fortunate than the living who are still alive.

3 But better off than both of them is the one who has not yet been born

and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.